Spokesmen for the garment industry have indicated that they cannot
sustain the U. S. minimum wage of $4.25 per hour which will likely be in
affect  by the year 2001. It’s no secret to anyone that the economic future
of the Commonwealth lies in the tourist sector and the wide variety of
ancillary service businesses that compliment and enhance the sustained
growth of this industry. Conservative projections (low and high levels) of
air arrivals of visitors made by the Marianas Visitors Bureau indicate that
we can expect  between 885,000 to 1.0 million visitors.
     This means that the Commonwealth will need from 5,900 to 7,700 hotel
rooms in its inventory, about double what is presently available. This
would place the average daily visitor population on island on any given day
somewhere between 8,400 and 11,100. Total annual visitor expenditures have
been projected to approximate between $1.1 billion and $1.9 billion
annually.
     We need more attractions: a Chamorro sound and light show featuring
island dances within an island cultural center, an aquarium, a health spa,
hot air sightseeing balloons (tethered, of course), a  scenic  miniature
railway such as a replica of the old sugar train, an aerial gondola cable
lift to Mt. Tapotchau with a mountain top restaurant, an underwater marine
observatory and a Northern Island  full service dive and sport fishing
facility. These things exist elsewhere and there is no reason that they
would not be profitable in the Commonwealth.
     To my knowledge the local garment industry does not now, or care to
ever, manufacture attire for the local market, all of their production is
exported. A local firm could produce an assortment of beachware, swimming
attire, beach towels and bags, island shirts and dresses in a Hafa Adai
style similar to the Aloha shirts and the famous Hawaiian Muu Muu, all
in    sizes to fit our tourists and the manufacture and sale of replicas of
gold and silver coins  from the wrecks of Spanish Galleons in Mariana’s
waters. Our young people should own and operate these businesses, and they
can with the proper education and on the job training. They need, and
deserve, the best educational opportunities available to prepare them for
the world of business.
     Of course, the hotel rooms will have to be on line to accommodate the
level of visitor entries projected. A number of factors will influence such
future investment, such as the increasing minimum wage, the advent of labor
unions, our competitive position around the Pacific and many other issues,
all  which  are explored in this series of essays.

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